


The Other Minister Reprise

by Shoshal_Network



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2020-07-19 04:21:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19967956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shoshal_Network/pseuds/Shoshal_Network
Summary: England has a new Prime Minister, and Hermione Granger, the Minister for Magic is not looking forward to telling him about the Wizarding World





	1. Chapter 1

Hermione sits at her desk, a large piece of parchment held in her hands. Her eyes quickly skim over the words, trying not to despair at the latest report from the MACUSA aurors on their repeated failures at defeating the dark wizard currently occupying the White House.

“Merlin’s beard, we were teenagers when we defeated the most powerful dark wizard of all time, this shouldn’t be so difficult,” she murmurs under her breath. She had complete faith in MACUSA, but almost three years into his rise to power and she was starting to get properly worried.

A quiet knock startles her out of her revery.

“Come in,” she calls out. A young man in dark green robes and carrying an even larger piece of parchment enters the room. “Ah, Tod, what is it?”

“Minister, they’ve voted,” Tod responds, a note of worry in his voice.

“And I take it Mr Cu--Fuck--Hunt didn’t win?” she asks, unhappy at the result, but silently grateful that she won’t have to spend the near future trying not to call the Other Minister a dirty word.

“Yes,” Tod answers. Hermione sighs.

“Well, that’s unfortunate, but nothing to be done. When does he move into Downing Street?”

“After his audience with the Muggle Queen, tomorrow.”

“Alright, please set up a meeting with Her Majesty for this evening.”

“Yes, Minister. Anything else?”

“Please have some appropriate Muggle clothes brought up--one of those suits Theresa always wears should do, though try for something a little less mature.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“And please send an owl to Ron and tell him I’ll be home late.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“Thank you, Tod.” 

Tod leaves after depositing the report of the Muggle election on her full desk.  
Hermione rests her head in her hands. “Who would have thought that I’d miss Theresa?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione goes to another woman in government for some advice

The trip to Buckingham Palace takes only a moment, as Hermione decides to Apparate instead of taking the Floo Network and running the risk of repeating the incident of an ember burning a hole in an antique and priceless carpet (which had been quickly repaired by a very embarrassed Hermione). Apparating also saves the trouble of temporarily hooking up the Palace to the Floo Network and lets Hermione look a little more professional if she doesn’t have to brush ash out of her hair while trying to curtsy. 

She arrives in the queen’s sitting room with a small pop! and waits for the queen to look up from a considerably smaller pile of papers than Hermione has back on her desk. After a moment she looks up and smiles at Hermione, who curtseys.

“Ah, Minister Granger,” the queen stands and motions her to a small table, “can I offer you some tea?”

“That would be lovely, ma’am, thank you.” 

The two women sit, and the queen pours them each a cup of tea. They sit quietly, each enjoying the calming drink. The queen breaks the silence first. 

“Minister Granger, as much as I enjoy your company, I imagine this is not a personal visit.”

“That is correct,” Hermione places her teacup back in its saucer and leans forward. “Your majesty, I need some advice.” She takes a deep breath and continues, “during your reign you’ve had to deal with a lot of men, and I’d reckon some of them were rather obnoxious--”

“That would be an understatement, my dear,” the queen says with a most inelegant noise that sounded an awful lot like a snort.

“Yes, I’d imagine. How did you deal with them? Your new Prime Minister has a bit of a reputation for being,” here Hermione pauses, searching for the proper word, “well, and pardon my language, but he seems like a bit of a prick,” Hermione manages. The queen laughs.

“It sounds like you’re very well informed about the goings on of our government,” she says.

“I do think it’s incredibly important for our two governments to work together, so I try to keep up. Also, as you know, my parents are Muggles and they like to complain about politics at me,” Hermione says with a smile.

“Well, that’s good. And I do appreciate you coming and speaking to me as well. I remember when I first became queen and Winston thought it was important for me to know about you all and introduced me to the Minister of Magic, really opened my eyes. Of course, so many of your ministers never bother to speak to me, preferring just to liaise with the PM, but I do like being kept in the loop.”

“You’ve seen it all your majesty, you’re an incredibly important and valuable resource in the work I do,” Hermione smiles.

“Oh, no need for flattery, I get enough of that from everyone else. But you asked a question, and I will endeavor to answer it. When it comes to ‘pricks,’ rise above. Ignore their snide comments and always be ready with a retort. You’re rather clever, so you should be able to manage that well.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I must admit that I didn’t particularly care for May, but at least she was a woman and relatively easy to be with. And I was only working with Cameron for a short while before he made a huge mess and disappeared to let other people deal with it, but at least he wasn’t horribly sexist. I really am dreading introducing myself tomorrow.”

“We’re in the same boat, I have to give him permission to form a government, but I can tell you that I really wish that I didn’t,” the queen says with small laugh. “But you’ll do splendidly, from the stories you’ve told me you’ve had to deal with much worse.”

“That is true,” Hermione smiles. “Thank you for the tea and advice, both were excellent.”

“My pleasure, you know you are welcome anytime, and bring that ginger fellow next time you visit.”

“Ron, my husband?”

“Yes, he’s rather funny, I like him.”

“I’ll tell him,” Hermione says with a laugh. “Have a good evening, your majesty.”

“Thank you, you as well.”

Hermione turns to Apparate, but before she does she once again faces the queen. “Do you think he’ll be Prime Minister for long? How many more will I deal with?” 

The queen smiles and sits back in her chair, taking up the sheaf of papers.

“I have a feeling you’ll be like me,” she gives Hermione a conspiratorial smile, “and outlast them all.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long day it's good to be home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this installment has arrived so very late, apparently grad school is really busy and doesn't allow for much outside writing...

The house is quiet when Hermione returns, the children are on holiday with her parents, and on nights when she works late, Ron often stays at the office in Diagon Alley until she gets home. She Apparates into the entry hall and makes her way down the corridor into the kitchen, hoping that there are still leftovers from the dinner Ron had cooked the night before. But instead of an empty and dark kitchen she finds a room full of light and sound and Ron. He turns from the hob at the sound of her footsteps and hastily wipes his hands on a tea towel before wrapping her in a hug. 

“I needed that,” she says with a smile as she looks up at his face. She reaches up and kisses him.

“And I needed that,” he beams. “I also assume you might need a drink?” She nods and sits down at the kitchen table while Ron continues bustling around the kitchen, pouring wine and stirring a pan. He flicks his wand at the old wizard wireless, turning up the volume (luckily, Celestina Warbeck is not on). 

Hermione sips her wine and admires how Ron smoothly moves through the kitchen. When he had asked her to marry him all those years ago she had said yes on one condition: he would spend a week learning how to cook from his mother (Hermione had refused to cook after their Horcrux hunt had ended). 

They chat as Ron finishes making dinner. Hermione tells him about all of her meetings, her attempts to persuade the Ministry to provide magical energy sources to the Muggles (quietly of course), and her audience with the Queen. “She’d like me to bring you along next time I visit, she said that she liked you,” Hermione laughs as Ron turns an endearing shade of pink. They discuss Ron’s day at the joke shop and some of the new products they were releasing (including a collaboration between the two of them on an extendable bag). 

Hermione misses Rose and Hugo, but also relishes these moments of alone time with Ron, which recently were becoming too rare. They remind her of all of the hours the two of them had spent talking late into the night in the Burrow’s kitchen after everyone else had gone to bed. Even then, when they were little more than children, she had known that there was something special about him--and Hermione was never wrong.

“Are you nervous?” Ron asks. Hermione raises a questioning eyebrow. “About meeting with the Other Minister tomorrow? I was looking him up on The Google and he sounds like a piece of work.”

“Ron, it’s just ‘Google,’” Hermione laughs. Rose had taught him how to use a computer a few years before, and he was still picking up the vocabulary. Her tone turns serious, “I’m not looking forward to it, but he’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Yeah, I’d imagine that after defeating the most evil wizard of all time, a slimy politician shouldn’t cause you much trouble,” Ron grins. 

“It does rather put things in perspective.”

\--  
She wakes to the sound of creaking floorboards and the smell of tea and freshly baked pastries. She opens her eyes and rolls over, greeted by Ron hovering a breakfast tray towards the bed.

“Good morning, ‘Mione” Ron says, maneuvering the tray to land next to her in bed.

“Ron, this is so lovely,” she gives him a kiss.

“I know today is going to be long, so I thought you could at least start it off nicely. I told Tod you’d be coming in late today.”

Hermione acts as if electrocuted, sitting up so quickly that she almost knocks over the teapot. “Ron! I can’t go in late. I have to set a good example, I’m the Minister of Magic for Merlin’s sake!”

“Exactly, you’re the boss so you can show up an hour late to work once. And you’ll be working this evening so overall it’s a wash. Give yourself a tiny break, you deserve it.” Ron says, lightly pushing her back into the pillows.

All too soon the tea has been drunk and the pastries eaten and it is time for the day to properly begin. Ron dresses in his magenta work robes which clash spectacularly with his hair and Hermione dons green robes embroidered with leaves. 

After a good-bye kiss they part in the entry hall. Ron Apparates to the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron and Hermione to a small street within walking distance of the entrance of the Ministry of Magic.

You would think that she would be used to the stares by now, but even after decades of friendship with “The Chosen One,” her own fame following the War, and now as the Minister of Magic, she still feels uncomfortable with so many eyes on her. She walks quickly through the corridors of the Ministry, stopping to say good morning or to shake a proffered hand. When she finally arrives in her quiet and empty office she lets out a sigh of relief, which is quickly interrupted by a knock at her door.

“Come in,” she calls.

“Good morning, Minister.” Tod enters the room carrying a thick sheaf of parchment. “Here are the notes for your meeting with the Muggle Prime Minister, and I have an update from MACUSA. The Department of Magical Transportation wants a meeting, and afterwards…”

And with that, her day begins.


	4. Chapter 4

“Minister, it’s time,” 

“Very well,” Hermione says with a sigh. She pushes back from her desk and straightens her shoulders. “Once more unto the breach.”

“Minister?”

“It’s Shakespeare, Tod.”

“Er, very good ma’am.” Tod pauses, unsure if his boss is about to start quoting more unknown nonsense. He decides to plow forwards. “The portrait has delivered the message and the Floo Network has been opened between here and Downing Street, so whenever you’re ready.”

“Thank you Tod, you head home for the day. I’ll finish things up here.”

“Thank you Minister, have a good night.”

Hermione steps up to the fireplace in her office and throws a pinch of silvery powder into the fire, which immediately turns emerald green. She climbs into the fireplace, clearly announces “10 Downing Street,” and disappears.

She reappears in Downing Street’s fireplace and steps out, brushing ash from her sleeve. She looks up, makes eye contact with the new Prime Minister, forces a smile, and extends her hand.

“Prime Minister, pleasure to meet you.”

The Prime Minister doesn’t return her smile, but instead scowls. “And who the bloody hell are you?” He goes to pick up his desk phone, ready to call security.

“I’m afraid that’s been temporarily disconnected,” Hermione gestures at the phone. “But I assure you I’m not here to cause any damage or harm. Why don’t you sit down,” it’s a command, rather than a suggestion.

“I don’t know who you think you are, but you just appear in my office and start giving me orders! I’m the bloody Prime Minister!”

“Ah yes, I haven’t introduced myself.” She sits in the chair in front of his desk, dodging around his accusatory finger. “I don’t know if you noticed the message,” she points at the old portrait on the wall. “I’m Hermione Granger, and I’m the Minister of Magic.”

“The Minister of what?”

“Magic. You see, magic is real and a whole parallel world exists within yours.”

“Is this some sort of joke? Theresa having a final laugh?”

“Why does everyone always think this is a joke?” Hermione murmurs to herself. “I’m afraid not, Mr Johnson. Magic is real, witches and wizards are real, and if you would sit down and stop pointing your finger at me, I could actually explain it all.”

Finally, he sits, and she begins. She tells him about the Ministry, and magic. About Hogwarts and Quidditch and dragons. And she stops to address his frequent interruptions. 

“The international Wizarding community is rather close, and we frequently work with each other, now--”

“How will Brexit impact that? Because we’re going to get Brexit done, I’d say by the end of the month,” Johnson interrupts. 

“Well, the Wizarding community has no interest in severing ties with its continental neighbors, so Brexit will be Muggle only.”

“That’s ridiculous, preposterous! The people of this great nation have voted to leave Europe, and that means we will all leave in totality!”

“Mr Johnson, I will remind you that our governments are separate. Our voting systems are separate. Witches and Wizards did not vote for Brexit and it doesn’t concern us. Therefore, we will continue business as usual, even as large changes take place in your world.”

He continues to fume as Hermione continues to talk.

“Now, it can’t really be said how frequently we’ll be in communication, but if you ever need to speak, address the portrait. And it will in turn alert you if I am ever coming to pay a call.” 

She got up, “have a good night, Prime Minister.”

“Wait, before you leave, let me offer you a drink.”

“That’s alright, I really must be off.” Hermione walks towards the fireplace.

“No no, I insist.”

“As do I, my husband has made bouillabaisse for dinner and I’d prefer not to miss it.” 

“You’re married?” 

“Indeed,” she lifts her hand and wiggles her ring finger, resisting the impulse to gesticulate with its neighbor.

“Well, that doesn’t really matter, does it?”

“I’m not sure what you’re suggesting, but I can assure you I’m not interested, and I would kindly recommend that you make no further overtures. You may be allowed to be a sexist pig in your world, but that certainly won’t be tolerated in mine. Good night.”

She strides to the fireplace and tosses a pinch of Floo Powder into the flames, before stepping into them and disappearing.

Hermione rubs her face and sighs, “who would have thought that I would miss May?”


End file.
